The Lubbock Avalanche-Journal reports that the mayors of Texas’ ten largest cities are resisting efforts by the Republican controlled legislature to cap local property tax revenue.

The mayors held a news conference Monday in response to proposed legislation meant to limit to 4 percent the amount of revenue that can be generated from the prior year. They argued any cap would impair their efforts to provide basic services.

Austin officials say the legislation would have amounted to a loss of $87 million over the past five years. Houston authorities say the city has not increased its property rate since 1994, and has actually cut its taxes since that time.

Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick is among several legislative leaders who say they want to cut property taxes before the legislative session concludes in May.

The Daily Cougar reports that the first audit conducted by UH Internal Auditor Don Guyton will find no wrongdoing in the diversion of funds used to construct UH’s TDECU Stadium.  This comes as no surprise since Guyton rarely finds any problems with anything that UH Administration wants to do.   

An audit initiated by UH President and Chancellor Renu Khator into UH’s allocation of $5 million in Higher Education Assistance Funds found no “irregularities or violations of University policy or state laws,” according to a UH spokesman. The audit, the results of which will be made public on Feb. 19 during the Board of Regents meeting, was conducted following accusations that UH misallocated state funding approved to fund the construction of classrooms in TDECU Stadium for the Spirit of Houston marching band. HEAF funds must be used for academic purposes.

This isn’t the only audit that UH is undergoing. During Thursday’s meeting, the Board will be updated on the progress of three more audits that UH is currently undergoing. These audits have reviewed the current Student Fees Advisory Committee process, the “request for proposal-procurement process associated with the VenuWorks/Aramark contract” and any possible violations of the Memorandum of Understanding agreement with the student body. “Substantial progress” in the audits is expected by Thursday, and a summary report will be presented at the meeting, according to a spokesman for the University.

After revelations that outgoing University of Texas at Austin President Bill Powers personally intervened in the admission into UT-Austin of numerous otherwise unqualified students, the school is reviewing its admissions process.  An investigation by Kroll Associates revealed that Powers was using his office to reward the children of wealthy donors and influential alumni. Some of the students admitted were described as completely unqualified for admission to the school but were let in based at Powers’ urging.  The Houston Chronicle reports on the new investigation.

System Chancellor William McRaven announced Monday that he is forming a committee to examine UT-Austin admissions policy in the aftermath of the review by Kroll Associates. “My goal is to ensure full and open transparency to the public with respect to how admissions decisions are made at UT-Austin,” McRaven said in a statement. “I realize that admissions practices are complicated and nuanced processes, but we must clearly define a policy that determines the degree of appropriate discretion at the institution level, while ensuring a fair and transparent process for applicants.”

Committee member Larry Faulkner, UT-Austin president from 1998 to 2006, said last week that it’s important to keep the report in perspective. “I think something that’s very important to understand is that every selective university has a president who gets letters about admissions,” Faulkner said, echoing part of Powers’ response to the report.

The report by the Kroll consulting firm, commissioned by the UT System Board of Regents, stopped short of condemning the president’s intervention in admissions decisions. It said Powers broke no rules and acknowledged that universities must consider factors such as relationships with donors and legislators.